Monochromator



0. W. PINEO MONOCHROMATOR Jan. 7, 1941.

Filed Sept. 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR Off/(V WfTO/Y P/(WFO,

ATTORNEY.

2 Jan. 7, 1941. o. w. PINEO MONOGHROMATOR Filed Spt. 2, 1938 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IILI'III'IIII' INVENTOR.

P/A/EO, ka gy ATTORN I wil 0. W. PINEO MONOCHROMATOR Jan. 7, 1941.

Filed Sept. 2, 195B 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR 952/ fl/fira/v P/A [Q Jan. 7, 1941. -o. w. PIINEO MONOCHROMATO-R Filed Sept. 2. 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR till tit

Patented Jan. 7", WM

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFWE MONOCHROMATUR Application September 2, 1938, Serial No. 228,127

2 Claims.

This invention relates to monochromators and more particularly, to monochromators for use in spectrophotometers. This application is a continuation in part of application, Serial No. 54,829, filed December 17, 1935, which in turn was a division of my application, Serial No. 11,600, filed March 18, 1935.

In the past, difficulties have been encountered with monochromators to be used through a wide band of the spectrum, particularly in oonjunction with spectrophotometers, due to the fact that the band of light defined by the slits in the monochromator, and particularly by the exit slit, varies in wave length or frequency range in different parts of the spectrum if the slit width is maintained constant. As a result, a broader band of wave length or frequency is transmitted at one part of the spectrum than at another which is undesirable for spectrophotometric use. It has been proposed to provide a drive, for example by cams, which varies the slit width at different parts of the spectrum to maintain a constant range of wave length or frequency in the band of light transmitted by the slit. Such a device represents an improvement and permits maintaining a constant range of wave length or frequency in the transmitted band. However, this range cannot be changed except by dismantling a portion of the device and inserting cams of different shape.

Monochromators according to the present invention are provided with means for maintaining bands of constant wave length or frequency throughout the spectrum and for varying the width of the band by adjustable mechanism so that bands of any desired range of frequency or Wave length can be chosen and the range thus chosen maintained throughout the spectrum.

Essentially, the present invention is directed to a drive linkage between a portion of the monochromator which shifts the band 01 light transmitted through the spectrum and movable slit defining members, the linkage consisting of variable ratio drive members, such as cams, which maintain a given range of band throughout the spectrum and linear drive mechanisms, the variable ratio drive members being so constructed that the movement of the linear drive connected to the slit members is in proportion to the relative phys ioal widths in different portions of a prismatic spectrum of units of wavelength or frequency. The drive linkage consists of separate drives to the two slit defining members with displacement means-provided between the two.

The monochromator may have one or more slits controlled by the present invention. In some cases, it is sufficient to control only the exit slit. However, where a double monochromator is used with a recording photoelectric spectrophotometer, more accurate results are obtained by providing all three slits with drives according to the present invention. The invention will be described Fig.2;

Fig. is a vertical section along the line it of Fig. 2;

' Fig. 5 is a Vertical section along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a detail of the drive of one of the cams, showing two positions.

The device shown in Figs. 1-6 is a simple drive in which there is a separate cam drive for each set of jaws.

The monochromator is providedwith a light source it from which light passes through condensing lenses it and entrance slit tit and. a second lens it to the prism F11. The spectrum formed by this prism passes through lenses t2 and ht, strikes the mirror in in which it is reflected, passes through the lens t l, the second prism t5 and lens 5% to the exit slit 5i. Movement of the carriage Ml moves the slit, defined by the knife edge it and its image in the mirror it, through the spectrum produced by the first prism and therefore determines the location in the spectrum of the band which passes out through the exit slit til after a further removal of unwanted wavelengths by the second prism 5h.

The table it which is moved in its framework it on the balls bl carries attached thereto a frame it on which are mounted two cams tit and it. The former is rigidly attached to the frame moving with the table, whereas the latter is capable of sliding on the tracks lll, being held thereon by a bolt it passing through a slot it and held by a nut it sufiiciently firmly so that it can move but does not have anysideways play.

The table itself is driven asis conventional in monochromators by a motor it through a worm it, worm gear ill and threaded shaft it which passes through a half nut it (Fig. l) which is spring mounted in a frame it connected to the table. The nut can be disengaged by pressing down the push button 8! (Figs. 2 and 4) when-it is desired manually to return the table to its original position.

The two cams 69 and 10 move with the table and in addition the cam '19 can be adjusted with respect to the table by means of the threaded shaft 82 and knurled knob 83 which shaft screws into a threaded portion 84 on the framework of the cam 19 (Figs. 2 and 3). The thread on shaft 82 is of very fine pitch and permits close adjustment of the cam 10. The adjustment can be read by means of an index pointer 89 carried by the framework of the cam 79 and extending up through a slot in the table 29 (Figs. 1, 5). The portion of the table adjacent the slot is provided with a suitable scale (Figs. 1 and 2) so that the amount of displacement of the cam ill with respect to the table can be read off on the scale by means of the pointer 85. Preferably the scale graduations are in terms of band Width; for ex ample, if the band is to be measured by wave 1 length, in millimicrons.

- 98 which is journaled in the bell crank 88.

The table 28 further carries a scale at its edge (Figs. 1 and 2) which moves along an index mark on the stationary framework of the monochromator. This clearly shows the position of the whole table and is calibrated throughout the spectrum to give the location of the band of light leaving the exit slit in terms of its color location in the spectrum. In the monochromator illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 where band width is measured in terms of wave length, the scale is in millimicrons. Any other suitable scale may, of course, be used where monochromators calculated in frequencies or other units are desired.

Two bell cranks 87 and 88 are journaled in a framework attached to the monochromator frame and not moving with the table (Fig. 3). These bell cranks are provided on their longer arms, respectively, with cam followers 89 and 99 which engage the profiles of cams 69 and 79 respectively. The short arm of bell crank 87 is connected through the rod 9! to the carriage M which bears the mirror d5 of the monochromator. The short arm of the bell crank 88 connects through a rod 92 to the jaw 96 which with the mirror 45 defines the middle slit of the monochromator. Bell crank 81 on its longer arm is provided with a lug 93 to which a suitable cable or preferably, as is shown in the drawings, a steel ribbon 99 is attached. This ribbon runs over' a pulley 95 journaled on the long arm of the bell crank 88 but situated closer to the axis of rotation than is the lug 93. After passing over the pulley 95, two steel cables 96 and 91 are attached to the end of the ribbon 9t and pass in opposite directions around the pulley Pulley 98 is positioned so that cables 96 and 91 leave it at the center of rotation of bell crank 88. Cable 96 runs to one jaw of the exitslit. 51 pulling the latter against the tension of a small spring 99. Similarly, cable 97 extends to one jaw of the entrance slit of the monochromator, pulling against a small spring I99. The corresponding jaws of the entrance and exit slits are coupled together by rods so that a bilateral jaw motion is obtained. The motion of these jaws is made less than that at the selector slit, in proportion to the obliquity of light passage through the latter, by glsioice of the radial distances of lug 93 and pulley The profiles of the cams 69 and 10 are identical and are so shaped that they will keep the band width passing through the slit constant through-- out the spectrum with respect to a certain predetermined function; the scale on the table is linear in the same function. Thus, for example, if the cams 69 and ill give a scale uniform in. frequency, a predetermined separation of the cams along the scale will produce a separation of the slit jaws proper to pass a band of the spectrum corresponding to the interval of separation on the scale and therefore of predetermined and constant interval of frequency.

The drive from the motor to the slit defining members may be considered as consisting of three drives in series. The drive from the motor to the table and hence to the cams is linear and its ratio is determined by the gearing iii-i? and ii79. The drive from each cam to the corresponding bell crank is of varying ratio, the ratio variation being determined by the profile of the cam. The drive from cam followers. through bell cranks and rods in the case of the middle slit or inextensible cables in the case of the entrance and exit slits is again linear, the ratio being determined by the relative arm lengths defined by the two bell crank arms in the case of the rods and the relative distances from the center of rotation of the cam follower and cable fastening 93 in the case of the cables going to the two other slits.

Since each cam moves its slit defining member so as to keep this movement in. proportion to a certain predetermined function of the linear movement, the relative displacement of the two cams linearly will cause each slit member to move in proportion to the same function and hence to define a slit which is proportional to the differences defined by the linear displacement of the two cams and readable on the linear scale. By the choice of suitable profile of cam, the linear scale on. the table may represent position in spectrum and band width in terms of wavelength, frequency or any function thereof which it is desired to maintain constant. With any given profile for the two cams, adjustment of band width in terms of the function defined by the cam profile can be effected without disassembling the mechanism by simply turning the knurled disc 83.

The monochromator illustrated in the drawings is shown with a scale calibrated in wavelengths and will be described in conjunction with this modification. The scale can obviously be in frequency with a corresponding change in the profile of the cams. The operation of the spectrum selecting means has been described above. The table 28 is driven by any suitable means such as a drive from an electric motor. The two cams 69 and #0 move linearly with the table and are displaced with respect to each other by the amount measured by the pointer 85 as described above.

in proportion to the width of a unit of wavelength in the prismatic spectrum. Accordingly the portion of the spectrum reflected onto the exit slit and hence selected, is determined by this movement. The slit defining member 46 moves in the same proportion but it is displaced with respect to the mirror because the cam driving it is displaced with respect to the other cam. This displacement is again in proportion to the physical width of a unit of wavelength in different portions of the spectrum. Hence the central slit will be maintained always in proportion to a given selected wavelength range determined by the amount of displacement of the two cams 69 and m measured by the pointer 85. The band width selected therefore will be of constant wavelength. The two steel ribbons 96 and 91 are likewise moved in proportion to the motion of the cam followers and as each ribbon displaces one of the pair of slit defining members defining the entrance slit and the exit slit, the width of these two slits will likewise correspond to the wavelength width selected by setting the displacement of the two cams. The widths of the entrance and exit slits will therefore remain the same as that' of the central selecting slit and all three slits of the monochromator will pass a band of light of predetermined wavelength range throughout the whole travel of the monochromator, that is to say, from one end of the spectrum to the other.

It will be apparent that any desired wavelength range for the three slits can be chosen by adjusting the displacement of the cams 69 and 10 by means of the shaft 82 turned by the knurled knob 83 and any band width so selected will be maintained constant throughout the travel of the monoproduce more than one variation of its slits; for instance, a single monochromator might transmit, as selected, either intervals of wavelengths, intervals of frequency, or amounts of energy from an associated light source, which intervals or amounts are maintained constant at a selected value throughout the range of wavelength setting of the monochromator.

What I claim is:

1. In a monochromator having a light source, means for forming a prismatic spectrum from the source having spectral bands of equal Wave length range which vary in width in different portions of the spectrum, members movable relative to each other defining a variable .width exit slit, means for selecting for transmission through the slit light from a desired portion of the spectrum and driving means for actuating said selecting means, the improvement which comprises two cams of identical profile actuated by said driving means, a cam follower engaging each of said cams, linear drive means connecting one of the relatively movable slit defining members to one follower and one to the other, the profile of the cams being such as to maintain constant the band width throughout the spectrum, means for bodily displacing one of the cams in its plane of movement, and means for maintaining the cam in its displaced position.

2. A monochromator according to claim 1 which is provided with a variable width entrance slit in addition to the variable width exit slit and in which the means for selecting light from the desired portion of the spectrum for transmission comprises a variable width selector slit defined by two elements. one of them a movable mirror and another a movable member, the mirror being linearly driven from one of the cam followers and the movable member being linearly driven from the other follower.

ORRIN W. PINEO. 

